Banwell Court
Has been described as a Possible Palace (Bishop)
There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains
| Name | Banwell Court |
| Alternative Names | The Abbey |
| Historic Country | Somerset |
| Modern Authority | North Somerset |
| 1974 Authority | Avon |
| Civil Parish | Banwell |
Banwell Abbey and The Cloisters
2 houses, formerly one bishop's residence constructed within or on site of monastic foundation. C14 and perhaps earlier, C15 and major reworkings in early and late C19. (Hans Price, 1870). Rubble, ashlar, slate roofs. Main block; 6 windows between buttresses, 3 storeys, 4 in west tower, middle bay breaks forward; mixed fenestration some 2 light mullioned under pointed dripmoulds, some square headed; some sashes some casements; the whole battlemented, central pediment bears crozier, end buttresses surmounted by finials; 3 stage polygonal tower to. left with single pointed lights gargoyles and battlements; parallel range has 2 embattled gables, a round headed entrance under an embattled, gabled porch and 2 light windows under drips; in east gable is a substantial fragment of a large perpendicular window. Various single storey rear outbuildings, all gabled. Interior is a superb Victorian pastiche with a double height hall with large dog leg staircase, ornate plastered rooms with flat arch fireplaces, some of C16 origin. Former chapel and cloister; to right (east)of main block the former chapel now has 2 storeys, at east end is a 3 light window of the C14 above C20 plain chamfered surround windows, to south an embattled tower with single lights and a porch in the re-entrant angle. C19 single storey wing which runs north from former chapel has cusped 3 light windows and a pointed arch entrance below battlements and between buttresses with finials. Interior contains remnants of the cloister walk with 2 light C15 cusped windows. (Listed Building Report)
Also known as the Abbey. Two houses, formerly a single building built as a bishop's residence 1443-65. Allegedly constructed within or on the site of a Saxon monastic foundation, but that is generally considered to be either at ST35NE12 or to be at or near near Banwell church (ST35NE21)
The building is C14 and perhaps earlier, altered in C15 with major reworkings in the early and late C19. It contains C15 domestic chapel. A fishpond, presumably Mediaeval, survives as an earthwork, and was drained circa 1800. (PastScape)
Not scheduled
This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law
Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
| OS Map Grid Reference | ST400591 |
| Latitude | 51.3280715942383 |
| Longitude | -2.8622100353241 |
| Eastings | 340020 |
| Northings | 159140 |
